BIKING
Take on the great clothing challenge Cycling to work By Jim Clarke Illustration: William Jessup
“I canʼt ride my bike to work because I have to wear a suit.” “I love cycling, but I donʼt want to arrive at the office all sweaty.” “Iʼll be too tired for my morning meeting.” Care to order some nice, aged cheddar with that whine? The time is ripe to forget the excuses and take the bike by the handlebars. Thereʼs no need to be a car potato if you reside within a reasonable distance from your workplace. Iʼm an executive with a federal government agency who feels compelled to don the pinstripes during working hours. Does wearing a suit have to put the kibosh on twowheeled freedom? No way. I manage to cycle to work about fours days a week from April to November. You donʼt have to be Superman or Wonder Woman to hang up that well-dressed excuse in favour of pedal power. Youʼll be glad you did.
Make the most of your time I live in Gatineau and work in downtown Ottawa, so my commute is a comfortable 10 kilometres each 12
way. I find that riding a bike can often save me time. Anyone who lives in Gatineau and works in Ottawa knows all about traffic. Gatineau has a lot going for it, but urban transportation planning isnʼt prominent in its tourism brochure. I can bike to work in the same time, or faster, than I can drive to work.
Exercise and get where you’re going Saving time is great, but itʼs not my primary motivation. I inherited from my mother a love for exercise on a daily basis. Biking to work both ways gives me my fix when Iʼd be loafing in my car otherwise (and probably cursing). When I arrive home at the end of the day, my exercise is over, instead of just starting. So, those biking days buy me an extra half-hour playtime with my young son. How good is that?
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Energize your day It is no secret that exercise creates energy. When I ride the roads and paths in the fresh morning air, Iʼm ready to tackle even the biggest problems. I arrive at my desk with less stress, clear lungs and pistons pumping. And remember, bikes have gears that allow you to work as much or as little as you want. Cycling to work neednʼt be an endurance race – you have the option to take it easy without any guilt.
Contribute to cleaner air If enough people cycled to work, the local contribution to smog cessation during the summer would be noticeable. Itʼs simply counter-intuitive to create pollution that forces us to stay indoors because the air is so bad. Break the pollution cycle with your cycle.
Reduce stress Itʼs downright peaceful to watch the sun rise and ducks play on my route alongside the Gatineau River. Eliminating oneself from the Worldʼs Slowest Car Race on Highway 50 is some hardship. You can start your day with less stress and a fresh perspective. And during the return trip at the end of the day, the stress from those eight hours of work is literally in your rearview mirror. Speaking of which… a good mirror helps reduce stress by showing you traffic approaching from behind – no surprises! www.OttawaOutdoors.ca
